After-delivery get-togethers are starting to become more popular, with more and more people using them as a way to let people get a peek at the baby after he’s been sequestered with Mom at home for a month or two. Sip & See parties started mostly in the South, and they’ve started to gain traction in other parts of the country. They’re often held as an alternative to a baby shower.

First and foremost, everyone gets to see the baby, which is the whole point to begin with, right? You get a chance to introduce your little buddy to your wider circle of family and friends all at once instead of having people dropping by unexpected. And you can use a lot of the same decorations and theme ideas you did for the original baby shower to make things easy. People drop by, have a few cocktails, drop some baby advice to the parents and then head home.

Baby Shower Alternative to Let Mommies Get Out

Some Sip & See parties are kind of open-house affairs, but I’m a big advocate of hosting it somewhere else, since that way Mom doesn’t have to worry about cleaning the house top-to-bottom. I really think these types of baby showers give the new Mommy a chance to relax in a night out with the girls, away from feedings, changings and so forth. Baby can make a short appearance for an hour or two while everyone gets to gush, and then Daddy takes him home while the ladies have a few more cocktails and chat or go out to dinner.

I really do think this appeals to mothers who aren’t quite into traditional baby showers. No formal party, no baby shower games (which I realize aren’t for everyone), just a chance to gush over the newborn and let your friends and extended family get their baby fix. Plus, who doesn’t love a chance to march out some cute cocktail ideas?

Some Ideas for a Sip & See

A lot of baby shower decorations and party favors translate to a Sip & See, but I think you can feel free to get as creative as you like. The point is to make it a relaxed affair where everyone can get a chance to socialize and talk about the baby. Here are a few ideas I had:

• Make it an open house, so a few people can drop by at a time. This makes it less of a cocktail party/girls-night-out, but it’s a lot more relaxed.
• Have the party at least a few weeks after delivery. A lot of women like to have some time to themselves for a while, but after a month or two, you can start to get stir-crazy.
• I do recommend one formal section to a Sip & See: a well-wishes toast to the new baby, and Mom and Dad.
• If the new Mommy already had a baby shower before the birth, it’s good etiquette to explicitly request “no gifts, please” on the invitations.
• Set things up buffet style. That makes serving informal, and there’s no struggle to get everyone coordinated on timing.

Keeping it Low-Key

You’re probably noticing a theme, here: relaxed. Everyone who has been a new parent knows that the sleep-deprivation, constant supervision and trying to juggle the other kids’ schedules can take a lot out of a couple. A Sip & See is your chance to take the pressure off the new Mommy and give her a fun, casual night out just as much as it is about letting everyone see the baby and offer congratulations. If you keep that thought in mind throughout the whole planning process, your party will be a roaring success!

When Diane Vaugn isn’t concocting new drink recipes for new mommies in her circle of family and friends, she’s gushing over great baby shower themes and ideas she finds online and at BabyShowerStuff.com. You can chat with her about all things baby-related on Google+.